Numerical Investigation of the Kinetics of Non-Equilibrium Phase Transitions in Silicon Induced by an Ultra-Short Laser Pulse

TL;DR

This paper presents a hybrid atomistic-continuum numerical model to study non-equilibrium phase transitions in silicon caused by ultrashort laser pulses, revealing detailed kinetics and effects of crystal orientation on melting and amorphization.

Contribution

It introduces a combined atomistic-continuum framework that accurately captures laser-induced phase transition kinetics in silicon, improving upon purely continuum models.

Findings

Hybrid model predicts lower melting thresholds than continuum alone.

Crystal orientation significantly affects melting dynamics.

Conditions for silicon surface amorphization are identified.

Abstract

Modern semiconductor applications demand precise laser processing at the nanometer scale, requiring a detailed understanding of phase transitions and structural modifications. Accurate control over laser-induced processes in semiconductors is essential for generating surface structures and modifying surface properties. In this study, we present a numerical investigation of non-equilibrium laser-induced phase transitions in silicon (Si) using a hybrid atomistic-continuum model. The model combines the strengths of Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations for atomisticscale descriptions of non-equilibrium phase transitions with a continuum approach to account for laser-generated free carriers. This framework captures the generation and diffusion of electronhole pairs, thermal diffusion, and electron-phonon coupling during laser energy deposition. We apply the model to determine the melting depth as a function of fluence for a 100 fs laser pulse at 800 nm. The results show that the stand-alone continuum approach underestimates the melting threshold compared to the hybrid atomistic-continuum model, which incorporates the detailed kinetics of melting. Additionally, we explore the effect of crystal orientation on melting dynamics. Lastly, the MD model is used to identify the conditions leading to the amorphization of the Si surface. These findings provide valuable insights into experimental observations of Si surface structuring induced by ultrashort laser pulses.